Heard Around Campus — May 2015

May is a busy time for Drexel, with the fiscal year ending shortly and the graduation season picking up. Here is a list of updates on projects around the University and some items you may have missed.

Construction Projects Update

• W.W. Hagerty Library Second Floor Reading Room: Renovation on the second floor of the library to convert staff space to a student study area is under construction, with completion expected soon.

• 3101 Market St. renovations: 3101 Market St. is being renovated for the relocation of engineering laboratories and an expansion of the College of Engineering’s research capacities. Construction is currently in progress on the Innovation Studio, which is expected to be finished in September 2015 and designs have been completed for offices for the AJ Drexel Institute for Energy and the Environment. The latter is expected to be finished in January 2017.

• Bossone Research Enterprise Center renovations: Construction is in progress for the first floor expansion of the Core Research Facilities for new laboratories for electrochemistry and thin-layer materials fabrication as well as materials characterization. The new labs are expected to be fit for use this summer.

• Renovations to Paul Peck Problem Solving and Research Building (PPSRB) and the Center for Automation Technology (CAT)/LeBow Engineering Center: Six new classrooms and instructional laboratories being built on the second floor of PPSRB are expected to open in September 2015. The new classrooms will free up space in CAT/LeBow for the construction of wet research laboratories for the departments of Chemistry and Physics, as well as the Institute for Energy and the Environment.

• The Summit at Lancaster Avenue and 34th Street: American Campus Communities’ 580,000 square foot student housing, dining and retail complex on the southwest corner of 34th Street and Lancaster Avenue is under construction and on schedule to open in August 2015.

• Vidas Athletic Complex turf field replacement: The replacement of Vidas Turf Field (serving the men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse teams) is underway and will be completed for the fall quarter.

• Three Parkway building (College of Nursing and Health Professions): The college has moved into the third phase of the 3 Parkway Building, and the fourth and final phase is expected to be complete in November 2015. The faculty and administrative personnel for Doctoral Nursing and Nutrition Sciences will occupy the building in the final phase of the third floor renovations.

• Raymond G. Perelman Center for Jewish Life: Abatement of the existing building at 118 N. 34th St. is complete, and demolition is in progress. The project is currently in design development and substantial completion is expected in September 2016.

• Korman Center/Korman Quadrangle enhancements: Architect selection is in progress for this project, which includes an addition to the existing Korman Center building while updating the building’s appearance. Renovations will be made to the Quad, as well, and it will be renamed the “Korman Quadrangle.” The project, funded by a generous gift from the Korman family with a University match, is expected to be complete in fall 2017.

• The Study Hotel at University City: Abatement and demolition work have been completed, and the official groundbreaking took place this month. Site work is in progress at 33rd and Chestnut St. for Hospitality 3’s 212-room boutique hotel. The hotel is expected to open in fall 2016.

Commencement 2015

Two of Drexel’s commencement ceremonies recently took place (the College of Medicine and Kline School of Law), with the rest scheduled for June.

To take a look at a Storify pulling together Tweets and Instagram posts on the graduations that have already happened and find out the dates for remaining commencement ceremonies, go to the University’s official commencement website.

Why I Give Campaign Ongoing

Drexel’s faculty and staff fundraising drive that began in April will continue all the way through the end of the fiscal year.

June 30 is the deadline to make a donation and attempt to beat last year’s participation level of 48 percent. Donations can go toward the University as a whole or be specified to certain areas of your choosing.

Get more information or make your donation through this link.

Irene Tsikitas Lin, director of communications, Administrative and Business Services, contributed to this article.